Trying Pretty Maids´ "Little drops of heaven"

[Olem]

Hello, everybody!

I have been practising twang and distortion alot lately in songs by Ac/Dc but now i wanted to try something else, a melodic rock song. I try to stay in curbing or mixed voice for this song but i find it quite difficult. I especially had problems with my support and felt that i was pulling chest a bit. Weil, i am not sure, what do you guys think? I give you links to one file with my vocals extracted and one with vocals and original music since i couldn´t find a backing track and don´t know if my voice drowns behind the original vocals.

Thanx in advance/ Ola

http://www.box.net/shared/v3ia1j8u91

http://www.box.net/shared/5hj57dk36h

[kalapoka]

Hey Olem...

Good Song and Good Job by you! I like your tone! You have a strong low-middle voice in this one!

First of all, the intro verse seemed to be one octave lower that you are singing it? I am not sure? can you check that again? or is there another layer of voice in the lower octave in the original recording?

To my ears you sound just a little bit pulling chest, but you are in the best position to tell that - are you feeling discomfort or soreness after the song? then maybe you should take another look on how to sing this song. To me the original song sounds like it's written for the middle/mixed voice of the singer, which might be different from yours, so you have to figure this out yourself - may be find out your passagio points in relation to the notes of this song and then find out the best coordination to hit those notes. I don't understant CVT terms yet so I can't explain to you how to do that. I use the infamous SS and MM by Manning and I would approach this song with a high-mixed voice, I would find out the problem notes and try to sing them first with 'Nay Nay Nay' and then bring in the words slowly.

But overall I really liked your voice. I also notice you have a nice vibrato and good control on your pitch. That really is something hard to do man!!!

And lastly, thanks for turning me to this song and band . Melodic rock rocks! \m/

[akarawd]

Hi Olem,

I liked your voice and tone v.v. much. The only thing I spotted that I think requires your attention is your breathing - especially a few lines before the solo,

exhaling completely after each sentence would be a good starting point for a more relaxed breathing pattern. I'm no expert but I really liked your tone.

[Olem]

First of all, thanx for your time and answers.

Kalapoka, you are absolutely right about me singing the first verse a little too high. I don´t feel any soreness after i have sung but i feel tired, alot more tired than after the ac/dc songs i previously have been singing. Maybe i sing in overdrive and therefore is more exhausted due to lack of support or perhaps it has to do with my unfitness . I don´t quite understand what you mean when you say that the song is written for mixed/middled voice and that is perhaps different from mine. I am familiar with Brett Mannings program, the "nay nay" excersise is to mix head with chest? Pretty Maids are veterans and been along since the 80´s, this is one of their softer songs, they usually do more harder stuff.

Akarawd: Yes i have problems with my breathing and i will try to be more aware of exhaling completely. I have problems with long verses, i try to inhale after a couple of lines but it´s not enough, maybe it´s my support that is bad

[ronws]

I was going to say, on the track of mostly just voice, it sounded like high chest, which doesn't mean anything. I've hit a solid note and someone thought I was screaming, etc. Then, you put it with the music and the same note has urgency and emotion. You sing this song like it was written for you. And I really like the sound of your voice outside of the Brian Johnson timbre.

[kalapoka]

Olem, then I think you should sing the intro as the original. I think you are being tired because of pulling chest and/or incorrect support & coordination. Actually, it can be quite more difficult to produce and sing in good powerful tones in the mixed voice - where this song is mostly at, compared to high, heady voices. I think it might have fallen into your passagio area, which is the area where the chest register/voice is ending but the head voice/register has not started yet. This is a often difficult area to master, but given your capabilities, you will soon master it. Just takes practice.

Ignore my comment on the song being written for the singer's specific middle voice. I will create even more confusion if I try to explain what's in my head because I am just a learner as well.

For the breath management, have you heard of Jamie Vendera's 'micro breath' concept? Try inhaling a very small amount of air before phrases or when you need to inhale, instead of the natural urge to taking in a lot of air. And then release it as slowly as possible while singing. I read the CVT book last night on breathing and it also gives you some really good ideas about breath manaagement, support and 'ending a phrase'. Go through that chapter

Rock On my friend!!!